Norway is famous for its Linie Aquavit, so called because it is shipped to Australia and back (across the Equator, or the "Line") in oak containers to produce mellow flavour.
Oh, since I'm at it. What is Aquavit? from Medieval Latin aqua vitae, "water of life",
A Scandinavian flavoured, distilled liquor, ranging in alcohol content from about 42 to 45 percent by volume, clear to pale yellow in colour, distilled from a fermented potato or grain mash, flavored with caraway seeds or cumin seed, others that may be used are lemon or orange peel, cardamom, aniseed, and fennel.
You are right, the Linie Aquavit has to be sailed over the equator to be rightfully named Linie Aquavit.. Quite expensive prosess I guess, but hey, traditions are important here :)))
So every bottle of Linie Aquavit has crossed the equator in some kind of ship :)
They found out that the time it took to sail down to equator and back was the perfect time for the Aquavit to be ready for our tables.. Now a days the ships are moving faster, and they sail the cargo all the way to Australia and back.. off course it has no purpose for the taste, but traditions has to live :)
It is nothing you drink like Vodka, but you serve it cold and take it as a shot with some kind of food. I don't eat lutefisk, Fish that has been in some kind of brine/pickle (?? Really don't know if this is the correct word for it..)for up to two years before you eat it.. yikes... You can have the Aquavit to almost all kind of food, but I would prefer it to meals containing meat or fish with spicy saucage or something. I guess it is great along with sushi :))
The history of the Aquavit is quite interesting, so if you have no better to do, look it up and be brilliant while you serve it to your friends along with an interesting story :))
Well now N()R, that I have to try indeed! In fact it just could combine well with the wasabi, if anything the dominant flavour of sushi in any case.
If you don't eat pickled fish you probably will eat salted (and raw!) fish. Herring for instance, and a bit of this water of life sprinkled over it really makes for a stunning combination.
See my post above for that answer. I have not never drank it, but been told NEVER EVER drink it other than ice cold. Otherwise, the "linie" will probably mean a line to the porceline altar. :-)
Thanks, missed it. I was wondering because of the rather strong, and special, flavour it has. It's more meant for mixing than drinking pure I think, unless you live in an atrocious climate and want to prevent your nuts from freezing.
Or more importantly, take your mind off the fact that your nuts are freezing. I've only heard of it being drunk like shots of Tequila. (SANS salt and lime)
Are you sure you are supposed to drink this stuff? Sounds to me that you would be better off rubbing it in, especially if you have help from a blonde about 5' 8" with gifted hands!!
izi.. I think you would be surprised of the taste actually :))
You are welcome to share a bottle any time :)
It is a pitty we all live in different places, think how great it could have been if we all could meet and have some Aquavit and something tasty to eat..
Eventually this room will evolve into a civilized party place and the more outgoing minds will put out the effort to encourage and arrange a Forum Party...Olga and Oleg will be the MCs.
Toad will pour the martinis and our ladies will just do what they do best...look pretty and remind us what a lucky bunch of assholes we all are.
Actually Nor I was thinking that it would be nice to play in toad’s pond. Nice little town a great beach…and he is just on the other side of the mountain from me.
ok, if you two pay my airline ticket I will consider it.. hehe..
But to be serious for a minute, it could have been great to meet. But it will be difficult to find the right place of course. I would say Oslo would be great.. LOL..
We could start here on Friday, 1 hour later we could be in Estonia partying, another hour later we could be in Kiev partying, 2 more hours and we would be in Ekaterineburg... and so on.. A nice roundtrip with the guys..